Edmonton Performing Arts Extends Postponement To 2021

In a joint statement, the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra & Winspear Centre, Alberta Ballet, Edmonton Opera, and of the Citadel Theatre announced today that they will be postponing the launches of new seasons to 2021.

Read the statement here:

"The world is a complicated place, and there's a lot of division between people. The performing arts tend to unify people in a way nothing else does." - David Rubenstein

The arts are a community, a community that comprises both creators and patrons. We have come together as a community to support each other in these difficult times and to reach out to all of you, our patrons, neighbours, and fellow Edmontonians.

As arts leaders, we are proud of the work we do in presenting exceptional performances of various genres. The nature of these productions relies on our ability to welcome large audiences in our venues. We are uncertain as to when that will again be a possibility. Collectively, we have reviewed the relaunch strategy and considered the health and well-being of our patrons, artists, team members, and audiences. We believe that the most mindful course of action is to postpone the launches of our respective new seasons until 2021.

This postponement provides assurances of safety for our artists, team members and our patrons. During this time, we will be able to make any needed changes to our facilities and processes that may be required to ensure the health of all as we work within our new realities. A statement from each of our respective organizations, as well as any plans for the upcoming season, are contained in the individual releases attached below. We continue to work with all levels of government to ensure the arts continue to be a vibrant and robust part of our culture, our economy, and our common experience. We are encouraged by the commitments of our city, provincial, and federal governments to continued support of the arts through this crisis. Edmonton's arts community is a vibrant part of the city's identity and it will not be silent during this extended intermission.

As large-venue performing arts organizations, we continue with digital and in-person experiences, educational outreach, and artistic creation within the confines of the recommendations of our public health leadership. For more information regarding these initiatives, please refer to our individual releases that follow or on our websites via the links below. As we work through the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, our success depends on you, our community, our patrons. Now more than ever, we need your support - to stay with us, to continue investing in our future programming, even though the future is a little further away than usual. Rest assured, we are here working hard to keep our arts alive and ready to welcome you back as soon as it's possible. We will continue to bring stories to life - through soaring music, the flight of a dancer, the passion of an aria, or theatre productions bound for the world stage built right here in Edmonton.

In commenting on the joint decision, Alberta Minister of Culture, Multiculturalism and Status of Women, Leela Aheer, said "I want to thank these organizations for putting the health and safety of Albertans first. Albertans are proud of the vibrant contribution you have made to the arts community, and look forward to seeing you back on stage."

Jean Grand-Maître, Artistic Director Alberta Ballet https://www.albertaballet.com/press-releases/alberta-ballet-announces-revised-2021-season-1

Annemarie Petrov, President and CEO Edmonton Symphony Orchestra | Francis Winspear Centre for Music https://www.winspearcentre.com/update

Tim Yakimec, General Director Edmonton Opera https://www.edmontonopera.com/season-update

Chantell Ghosh, Executive Director Citadel Theatre https://www.citadeltheatre.com/content/file/Media_Release-Bridge_to_the_Future.pdf

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